Popular Gardens in Manly

"The Royal Botanic Garden has one of the most beautiful locations in Sydney – on the harbour, next to the Opera House, bordering the central business district. For visitors, it’s a stunning location that gives views of the Harbour Bridge and across to the north shore of the city. But it’s also one of the most important botanical institutions in the world with about 9000 species of plants."

"Royal Botanic Gardens Just past the Opera House, you will enter into these beautiful gardens. It’s full of stunning displays and hosts different events each week. It’s the perfect spot to take a break and watch the world go by or choose one of the paths and see some of the beautiful displays."

"Set at the southern end of Darling Harbour, the scenic and serene Chinese Garden of Friendship is a treat to stroll around. An oasis of calm in the city, its lovingly landscaped water features, rock gardens and pavilions shine a light on Chinese heritage and culture with the gardens having been designed in Guangzhou; Sydney’s sister city. Symbolizing the bond between the two countries, the gorgeous garden was first opened in 1988 to celebrate Australia’s bicentennial."

"Built according to Taoist principles, the Chinese Garden of Friendship is usually an oasis of tranquillity – although one increasingly dwarfed by assertive modern buildings. Designed by architects from Guangzhou (Sydney’s sister city) for Australia’s bicentenary in 1988, the garden interweaves pavilions, waterfalls, lakes, paths and lush plant life. There's also a tea house."

"The walled Chinese Garden respectfully recreates the philosophy and harmony of a traditional Chinese garden in its waterfalls, lakes, exotic plants, pavilions and hidden pathways…once you’ve discovered this secret garden, you’ll never want to leave!"

"Lone Pine Lawn at Vaucluse House is another beautiful garden wedding ceremony venue for those who love nature and want to have some old world charm with the Vaucluse House as the backdrop with the gardens. The estate is away from the busy city so you and your guests can feel like you’re in a different world without being too far away from home."

"The Vaucluse House is a heritage-listed home and country estate with a museum. It’s one of the few 19th-century mansions still surrounded by its original woodland and gardens. The museum has been in operation for over a century, showcasing the original 19th-century estate, home, kitchen, stables and buildings on formal gardens."

"Built between 1803 and 1839 in the Gothic Revival style, the Vaucluse House is a 19th-century estate surrounded by 11 hectares (28 acres) of formal gardens and grounds. It is one of the only remaining houses of the period that has retaining a significant part of its original setting."

"Royal Botanic Gardens Just past the Opera House, you will enter into these beautiful gardens. It’s full of stunning displays and hosts different events each week. It’s the perfect spot to take a break and watch the world go by or choose one of the paths and see some of the beautiful displays."

"One of Sydney’s worst kept secrets is Wendy’s Secret Garden, a green oasis of native plants, fig trees, beautiful flowers and a thriving community of birds. The garden is a beautiful place for office workers and local residents to wind down, eat their lunch, read a book or to simply enjoy the views. Wendy’s Secret Garden is now part of the Lavender Bay Parklands, a collection of green spaces and parks in and around Lavender Bay, such as Clark Park, Watt Park, Quibaree Park and also the Lavender Bay Foreshore."

"Ok, it is not really a secret – but Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden is still very much an underrated attraction in Sydney often overlooked by locals and tourists alike. A free place to visit, this delightful Lavender Bay garden on the lower North Shore of Sydney Harbor has charming views and a unique feeling of peace and tranquility. A public garden and much-loved oasis formed on railway land at the bottom of Wendy’s Garden, the site has an intriguing history and is well explained by signboards dotted around."

"Built over an abandoned train yard, this hidden gem is full of winding paths and offers gorgeous views of Sydney Harbour."

"The incredible Paddington Reservoir Gardens is an award-winning public park sunken below Oxford Street in the inner eastern Sydney suburb of Paddington. Occupying a reservoir that was once a vital source of water for a growing Sydney, this park is an artistic transformation of the heritage-listed site that invokes comparisons with the ancient Baths of Rome and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The original brick, timber, and iron components of the reservoir were rescued and seamlessly blended with contemporary and sustainable elements."

"Located below bustling Oxford Street is one of the best hidden gems in Sydney: the Paddington Reservoir Gardens. From the street, it looks like a hodge-podge of columns, plants and graffiti art. Upon closer look, travelers see the beauty of its $10 million restoration."

"Surry HillsThis Mexican inspired vegan eatery will make you rethink your taco choices. The dimly lit, artsy space with exposed brick sets the scene for the casual dining experience, with not so casual flavours. Because everything on the menu is vegan, expect mushroom Peruvian ceviche instead of kingfish and quesadillas stuffed with creamy “Oaxaca cheese.” The tacos are a crowd pleaser and come in four flavours including baja jackfruit, miso eggplant, chipotle potato, and mushroom with cashew cream."

"We love a good greasy delivery as much as the next person but, sometimes it can be nice to have a break and move onto something plant-based. Bad Hombres and Chef Greg Molinaro have designed a delicious plant-based, vegan, gluten free menu which doesn’t skimp of flavour. Make sure you order up their delicious charred chipotle corn, Bad Hombres cauliflower with cashew crema, and their eggplant crocante with delicious sauces."

"The plush red décor at this restaurant serving Pakistani-Indian dishes from the Mughal tradition takes its cue from the name, which means ‘red fort’. Toss poppadums aside and go with the exotic Paani Poori and Paneer Tikka for starters, then try Lal Qila’s specialty Handie – meat of your choice slow-cooked in clay pots, or the Sultani Nalli – tender baby lamb shanks with meat falling off the bone. Soak up the gravy with basmati pulao or biryani or breads served piping hot from the tandoor (try the delicious cheese and chili naan)."

"Built in the 1850s, Sydney’s copper-domed, Italianate sandstone observatory squats atop Observatory Hill, overlooking the harbour. Inside is a collection of vintage apparatus, including Australia’s oldest working telescope (1874), as well as background on Australian astronomy and transits of Venus. Also on offer (weekends and school holidays) are child-focused tours (adult/child $10/8), including a solar telescope viewing and planetarium show. Bookings are essential for night-time stargazing sessions, which come in family-oriented (adult/child $22/17) and adult (adult/child $27/20) versions."

"Speaking of underappreciated places, the Sydney Observatory is not something you should overlook. There’s nothing more calming and inspiring than gazing at the stars and just enjoying the vastness of space at night. This can also be a great learning experience for your little ones as they learn about science, technology, and so much more."

"Sydney Observatory was built in 1858 on a hill above The Rocks and was used for decades for research into astronomy and weather conditions. It was also crucial for navigation, meteorology and timekeeping. The observatory is still an important scientific site but is used mainly as a museum these days."

"This gelato mecca has been around for 17 years and they're always trying something new, whether it's a new flavour, new healthy range or a mash-up you didn't see coming, like the new Brown Sugar Bubble Milk Tea gelato. This limited edition flavour is made up of organic Assam tea, a robust, black tea with notes of malt, which is brewed and infused with the decadent creamy gelato, and finished off with a swirl of rich brown sugar syrup. Each scoop of Brown Sugar Bubble Milk Tea is then topped with extra soft and chewy tapioca pearls for an added layer of texture and to remain true to its dessert inspiration."

"A post shared by the AU review (@theaureview) on Nov 18, 2015 at 9:52pm PST. Beaches and ice cream are an undeniably appealing combination and Gelatissimo at Cronulla treats this winning formula with all due respect by serving up over 30 flavours of freshly made gelato, including truly tempting salted caramel, peanut butter fudge and macadamia nut. Alongside the superb scoops, there are also plenty of incredible eat-in dessert options like their heavenly gelato doughnuts."

"Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account. View this post on Instagram. A post shared by Gelatissimo (@gelatissimogelato) on Mar 11, 2019 at 11:04pm PDT"